Oct 31, 2013

Within minutes after Google's release of Nexus 5 factory image and binaries, a buckload of Android 4.4 KitKat apps have been extracted and published online so everyone can download it.

The folks over at AndroidPolice have just released the Hangouts 2.0 application with support for SMS, animated GIFs and a lot more goodies. Keep in mind though that the latest version of Hangouts does not work with Google Voice numbers unless you’ve enabled Google Voice on your Sprint phone. Full support for Google Voice will be added soon via update, but for the time being there's no telling when exactly it will go live.

As expected from previous leaks, Hangouts 2.0 comes with full support for animated GIF files and location sharing. AndroidPolice reports that while you might be getting crashes right after sending your location via SMS, clearing the app's data fixes it.

It looks like it only took Google a few hours to post the first Android 4.4 KiKat factory image and binaries on its official webpage.

As expected, the first factory image is aimed at Nexus 5, though the smartphone has yet to make its debut on the market. Android fans and enthusiasts who like to tinker with factory images will now be able to extract all sorts of goodies and make them available for download. Dubbed factory image “Hammerhead” for Nexus 5 (GSM/LTE), the file is about 425MB in size and can be found on Google's Developer website, along with the rest of factory images for other Google devices.

We can expect more Android 4.4 KitKat factory images to drop on Google's Developer website in the coming weeks for the following devices: Nexus 4, Nexus 7 and Nexus 10.

Google and LG have just announced the upcoming availability of the Nexus 5, the first smartphone to ship with Android 4.4 KitKat operating system out of the box.

In fact, Google confirmed the smartphone is now available for purchase online in lots of markets, but both 16GB and 32GB models sold out in under 30 minutes in most countries. However, Nexus 5's offline availability is set for mid-November in Europe, Central/South Americas, Asia, CIS and the Middle East, so Android fans will have another chance to grab on the two color options available, black and white. LG Nexus 4 comes equipped with a powerful quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor clocked at 2.6 GHz, which is complemented by an Adreno 330 graphics processing unit and 2GB of RAM. Although the phone is packed with either 16GB or 32GB of internal memory, this is all you will get as Nexus 5 lacks microSD card slot for memory expansion. Furthermore, the 4.95-inch True HD IPS Plus capacitive touchscreen supports 1080 x 1920 pixels resolution, 445ppi (pixel density) and features Corning Gorilla Glass 3 coating.

On the back, Google confirmed the Nexus 5 boasts an enhanced 8-megapixel camera with optical image stabilization, LED flash and full HD (1080p@30fps) video recording. It is also worth mentioning the handset's camera packs LG Innotek’s optical image stabilizer technology that allows for longer exposures, less blur and less noise. The Nexus 5 also includes Photo Sphere providing users with an easier way to capture a series of photos and turn them into a seamless 360-degree experience. Connectivity-wise, the smartphone offer everything Android users would expect from a flagship device. According to the official specs sheet, Nexus 5 is packed with LTE and HSPA+ support, along with Bluetooth 4.0, microUSB (slimport), NFC (Near Field Communication), Dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4G/5G) 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac and buil-in GPS.

Wireless charging is included as well, along with 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video calls. The Nexus 5 is powered by a 2300 mAh non-removable Li-Polymer battery, which should provide up to 300 hours of standby time or up to 17 hours of talk time. Photo gallery below, click for larger images.

HIS wasn't about to let PowerColor be the only one with a new Radeon R9 270X graphics card out, so, naturally, it made its own. Behold the HIS R9 270X IceQ X2 Turbo Boost Clock 2GB GDDR5.

That really is the full name of the board. It's an amalgam of terms, from the name of the cooler to the status of the GPU. Which is to say, this is a custom-cooler, factory-overclocked version of AMD's adapter. The GPU works at 1100 MHz / 1140 MHz instead of 1000 MHz / 1040 MHz, while the dual-fan cooler is not only better at its job, but is quieter too (below 28 dB while watching movies, not much louder during demanding games).

HIS ships the newcomer with the iTurbo overclocking software (temperature, speed and voltage control). Sadly, HIS did not say what price it expected to be paid. Probably a dozen or so more dollars/Euro above $200 / €200.